[Chat] Waverly Giant vs Safeway (25ht and Charles)

Sat Jan 22 20:34:32 EST 2005

I agree with you, Emily.

Also, Safeway is an American company; Giant is Dutch.

I really like the pharmacists at Safeway too.

Christine Gray 

-----Original Message-----
From: Chat-bounces at charlesvillage.info
[mailto:Chat-bounces at charlesvillage.info] On Behalf Of Emily Chalmers
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 7:24 PM
To: CVChat; CVDiscussion; Brad Schlegel
Subject: RE: [Chat] Waverly Giant vs Safeway (25ht and Charles)

Brad--

The Safeway has always been overcrowded and understaffed, but I don't think
your experience last night was representative. I was at the Home Depot in
Towson, and it was a madhouse--I was grateful not to need to visit a
grocery store. And the last time I was at the Safeway, I was worried about
the lack of customers. I was in and out in record time.

I am loyal to that Safeway, because it opened here long before the
Giant--responding to the rising property values--came in and tore down all
those houses to build a suburban-style eyesore.  I've lived in other
inner-city areas, and Safeway often seems to me the only pretty decent
grocery willing to open stores in those areas. And of course I am a crank
about that Giant--it simply wasn't necessary to insist on a parking lot
that size. I believe the store should have gone with an urban model,
smaller and with the parking lot on top. That said, I also don't have the
time to spend wandering a warehouse-size store looking for things I need.
and I don't see that it has anything the Safeway doesn't. 

However, my primary consideration is just the fact that the Safeway was
here when the houses in Chuck Village were selling for $75K years ago, and
the Giant didn't show up until they started selling for more than $200K.  I
want the Safeway to stay in business, and it has tried hard to bring in
more healthful  and upscale items (soy milk and Starbucks coffee, i.e.).
What has the Giant done for me except expect that I'll be entranced by its
size? Sorry--I'll take the sometimes overcrowded Safeway any time. 

I hope other people will stick with the Safeway too. Losing it would be a
real blow.

Emily Chalmers
echalmers at mindspring.com
Why Wait?  Move to EarthLink.

> [Original Message]
> From: Brad Schlegel <william.schlegel at us.army.mil>
> To: CVDiscussion <Discussion at charlesvillage.info>; CVChat
<Chat at charlesvillage.info>
> Cc: 
> Date: 1/22/2005 1:19:38 PM
> Subject: [Chat] Waverly Giant vs Safeway (25ht and Charles)
>
> Last night, around 7pm,  Susan and I had the worst grocery shopping 
> experience of our lives.  We stopped at the Charles Street Safeway with
the 
> intent of buying some fat-free half and half (Lucerne Brand is cheaper
than 
> Land of Lakes), plus a few other items (ended up with less than 10). 
When 
> it came time to check out we discovered there were over 100 people in
line 
> and only 4 open registers - none express.  I observed at least five cash 
> register clerks packing up  and when I asked why they were leaving when
the 
> store was so packed they said. "We already put in over 8 hours and we
must 
> leave."  I then looked for the manager, only to find out he had already
left 
> for the day.  His back-up was just another cash register clerk with
little 
> interest in acting managerial.
>
> After about 15 minutes of waiting, more lines opened, but the method of 
> filling them was helter-skelter and I actually had a man behind me demand
to 
> move ahead of us in the line, simply because "nobody was going to tell
him 
> what to do"..  Despite my effort to have him act civilly and wait his
turn, 
> he pushed ahead.  The one security guard refused to get involved and the 
> "acting" manager - Marquesha, was busy checking people out.  After about
45 
> minutes, Susan and I got out of the store.  Oh, there was only one deli 
> clerk on duty, too.
>
> If Safeway hope to compete with Giant, they better plan to react to 
> inclement weather with a bit more clerks and organization.  Did anyone
shop 
> at the Giant yesterday, who could describe their experience?  As it
stands, 
> now, Susan and I will NOT return to Safeway - even if their price for
half 
> and half is better.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> W. Brad Schlegel
> 1552 Oakridge Road
> Baltimore, MD 21218-2228
>
> 410-467-1933 - H
> 410-962-9506 - W and Voice Mail
> william.schlegel at us.army.mil
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jonathan Wetmiller" <jwetmiller at yahoo.com>
> To: "Charles Village Discussion List" <Discussion at charlesvillage.info>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 9:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [Discussion] Giant
>
>
> > Even though Giant is a little closer to me, I still
> > prefer to shop at Safeway out of loyalty and the fact
> > that I know where everything is, plus the lines seem
> > to have gotten shorter Giant opened.  However, I've
> > heard a lot of positives about Giant and no negatives
> > outside of this forum.  I don't live next door,
> > though.  I am sorry to hear about the Victorians being
> > allowed to deteriorate but I think most of the
> > properties that were initially torn down were in
> > pretty sad shape.
> >
> >
> > >>
> >> -- Brennen Jensen <brennen.jensen at philanthropy.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> I think the new Giant is pretty nice. Certainly
> >> better than the Safeway
> >> or  the hopelessly cramped Rotunda.  Then again, I
> >> didn't know soy
> >> margarine  existed. Also, some of the folks were
> >> happy to sell their
> >> Victorians to make way for the Giant.
> >>
> >> -Bj
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Jan 10, 2005, at 6:30 PM, tweefie at juno.com wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> > I suppose its too soon to really tell (judge ) The
> >> service was great
> >> > the first two weeks - now it sucks. Its gotten
> >> dirtier - I think its a
> >> > monumental disappointment.
> >> > But first and formost-
> >> > What we lost in that development was tragic - (the
> >> beautiful Victorian
> >> > houses ) and there is more demolition to come. The
> >> developer promised
> >> > to keep the three remaining victorians, - But then
> >> promptly eviceted
> >> > everyone, capped the sewar lines and has allowed
> >> the places to
> >> > deteriorate - to the point that now, well, what
> >> else CAN they do but
> >> > tear them down ?!?!? How convenient. I have a
> >> freind who lives right
> >> > there behind it - When you are out in the yard, or
> >> have a window open
> >> > you can hear them on huge PA systems paging bag
> >> boys to the front of
> >> > the store, or managers to phone calls. Its awful.
> >> Hr street, Gorsuch,
> >> > ) and mine, Vineyard, have become shortcuts from
> >> opposite areas to and
> >> > from the Giant.  Ugh.
> >> > I have been going back to the Rotunda - But now I
> >> hear that is for
> >> > sale - and why, with the lovely new Giant just a
> >> 1/4 mile away - I bet
> >> > they close the Rotunda Giant...
> >> >
> >> > -- Stephen J Gewirtz <gewirtz at bellatlantic.net>
> >> wrote:
> >> > Tweefie,
> >> >
> >> > You live a bit closer to the new Giant than I do,
> >> so what exactly are
> >> > the problems?  Were the same problems present
> >> before when
> >> > A&P/Superfresh
> >> > was there?  (Somehow, I have always preferred
> >> shopping at Giant to
> >> > shopping at A&P or Safeway.)
> >> >
> >> > Before the new Giant came, I walked to the
> >> Rotunda, so it has been nice
> >> > to have Giant so much closer.  I still walk to
> >> Whole Foods in Little
> >> > Italy on occasion but am looking forward to the
> >> new natural foods coop
> >> > (The Village, on the east side of the 2500 block
> >> of St. Paul just south
> >> > of Yabba Pot) due to open Feb. 14.  On the other
> >> hand, if there are
> >> > problems with one of the grocery stores I shop at,
> >> I would like to know
> >> > the details.
> >> >
> >> > Steve.
> >> >
>  
>
>
>
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